The pharmacokinetics of rosaramicin was studied in subjects receiving 500 mg of the drug (i) by 1-h intravenous infusion, (ii) in solution orally, or (iii) as tablets orally. After intravenous administration, the rosaramicin levels in serum declined rapidly with t1/2S of 0.27 h for the distribution phase and 3.28 h for the elimination phase. The apparent volume of distribution was 3.78 liter/kg, and the total body clearance was 13.41 ml/min per kg, indicating extensive tissue distribution or metabolism or both. Similar pharmacokinetic data were obtained after oral administration of the drug in solution or tablets and after intravenous dosing. The absolute bioavailability of the drug administered orally, in either tablets or solution, was 32 to 39%. The metabolism and excretion of [14C]rosaramicin administered orally were also evaluated in volunteers. The serum area under the curve (infinity) of unchanged rosaramicin was 19% of that of total radioactivity, indicating extensive metabolism of the drug. About 7.0% of the radioactivity was recovered in the urine, and 86.7% was recovered in the feces. Only a small amount of unchanged rosaramicin was present in the urine (7 to 9% of urinary radioactivity), but none was present in the feces. The major metabolite, 20-bis-ureidorosaramicin, represented 17 to 38% of the radioactivity in the urine and 26 to 29% of the radioactivity in the feces.